


Long Time Running

by theworldunseen



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kissing, One Shot, Post-Olympics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 05:43:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13804644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theworldunseen/pseuds/theworldunseen
Summary: Tessa and Scott are back in Montreal, and neither can sleep. Will everything change? (obviously)





	Long Time Running

Tessa was glad to finally be back in Montreal, back in her apartment. Her towels, her blankets, her plants, her plates — it comforted her to be back amongst her things, the home she had made for herself. 

But it still didn’t feel completely right. It was late, and she was exhausted, but she couldn’t sleep. And she knew she could blame the time difference, blame being on the other side of the world for most of February, but she also knew that wasn’t the whole truth. The time difference wasn’t what was keeping her up.

Finally, she gave up on sleeping and got out of bed. She made a cup of chamomile tea. Her apartment was cold, and her pajamas were not keeping her warm. She found one of the Team Canada flannels she’d brought back with her and put it on. When it was too big, she realized it wasn’t hers. It was Scott’s. Of course.

The water boiled. She poured herself a cup, then sat on her couch. She didn’t turn on music, or the TV. She didn’t even have choreography to go over in her head, which usually put her right to sleep. Instead, she had the pitter patter of thoughts that had been waiting for her attention since at least Pyeongchang, but probably much earlier. 

Scott. Scott Scott Scott. Tessa wasn’t an idiot. She saw the way he looked at her when they danced. When they walked on or off the ice. The way his hand would linger for a moment too long. Those neck kisses. Christ.

But was it real? Chemistry — flirting — was part of the game. That’s how you sold your programs, with passion and intensity and acting like the world’s hottest, horniest ballroom dancers. In real life, Tessa could never touch Scott like that. Would Scott even want her to? Would Tessa even want to?

Ugh. When they were younger, she had nursed a flame for him, but she would’ve nursed a flame for any boy two years older than her. Scott was practically the only boy who knew her name. But that was a long time ago. They’d been through so much since. Was that a case for or against?

When he called her eyes “gorgeous green,” was he just doing it for the media? She couldn’t blame him if he was. 

And maybe Tessa could handle the ambiguity of his feelings if she felt even a little certain of hers. 

She laid back on the couch. Took a sip of her tea. Damn.

\----

Meanwhile, at his apartment, Scott was pacing. “It’s too late,” he thought, glancing at the clock. He couldn’t go talk to Tessa now. Presumably she was exhausted. Maybe she didn’t want to see him. Maybe she was pissed that somehow the entire world thought they were in love, or that he was in love with her. 

And if you had asked Scott before Pyeongchang, was he in love with Tessa, he might’ve said no. No, he would’ve said no. He really thought he wasn’t.

Now he knew how stupid that was! Of course he was in love with Tessa! When he looked at her, this beast in his chest roared. He felt invincible and incredibly fragile all at once. It was amazing. It was terrifying. Tessa.

It was OK that they’d ignored it before. They had work to do. But now they’d done it.

How could he wait another minute to tell her?

\----

Tessa must have nodded off, because now the ring on her phone was waking her up. Who would call her at this hour? She checked the screen. 

“Scott?” she said, her voice heavy with sleep. 

“Sorry T, were you asleep?” he asked, whispering, as if he could keep her from waking up all the way.

“Just barely. What’s the matter? Where are you?” She still wasn’t sure what was happening. 

“Umm, actually, I’m outside your door.” Scott was bashful now. Why did he think this was a good idea again? “Can I come in?” He barely got the question out.

Tessa finally sat up straight. “My door?” she asked, stunned. “Why?”

“I … well … I wanted to see you.”

Tessa opened the door.

Scott grinned at her, as they both hung up their phones. 

“Hey T,” he said. “Is that my flannel?”

Tessa wrapped it tighter around her body. “Maybe,” she said with a smirk. “Come in before someone calls the police.”  
She didn’t have to tell him twice. Once they were both inside, he didn’t know what to do.

“Sorry I woke you up,” he said, rubbing his hand through his hair, avoiding her eyes. He wanted to touch her, the way he always did, but she was too far away.

Tessa, finally awake, still didn’t understand what was going on. She didn’t invite Scott to sit, or offer him a cup of tea. They stood in awkward silence. It was uncharacteristic.

“What do you want?” she asked, finally. Not an accusation, not angry — just, what?

Scott looked at the floor again. He had to do it. Someone had to leap here.

He finally met her eyes. She’d never seen him look at her like this. She didn’t have the words for it.

“Tessa,” he said, his words finally sure. “I couldn’t sleep. Because I couldn’t go another minute without you knowing. I was afraid you thought … I wasn’t acting for the media, or the judges, or the fans. I’m in love with you. I couldn’t tell you the day it started, but I know it.”

“Scott,” Tessa began, but he shook her off. Now she knew. She really knew.

“No, let me finish. You don’t have to say anything tonight or tomorrow or this month, even. Take your time. But I can’t imagine my life without you and I think —”

He didn’t get the rest of it out. Tessa swiftly closed the gap between them, her lips against his for the first time, but not the last. 

Her friends had asked her what it was like being touched by Scott when they danced. And she told him that it was normal at this point. But this was not normal. You would think they never touched, the way they were now. Her hands were in his hair, and on his neck, and on his chest. His arms were around her waist and he pulled her as close as he could. 

Finally they pulled apart, almost gasping for air. Scott grinned. She loved that grin. She started laughing, and he started laughing, and then they were kissing and laughing and everything was perfect and beautiful.

“We need to sleep Scott,” Tessa said. She took his hand and led him to her bedroom. His eyebrows shot up.

“Sleep Scott,” Tessa said, dragging him on to the bed with her. He kicked off his shoes. They fell asleep on top of the covers. Tessa wasn’t cold anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE TESSA AND SCOTT. bye.


End file.
